Island Holidays Blog

Quiet on the Western Front

All this economic gloom and despondency (mostly media-fired as far as I can make out) is causing folk to hold off booking holidays. The result is that the phones are relatively quiet and I'm able to catch up a bit on the backlog. I'm not worried - we've had patches like this before and it always comes right, besides which are bookings were well up for the year before people started to "gae canny" as we say in this neck of the woods, and so our winter is looking good. I reckon it will stay quiet until Christmas, after which things will return to normal. And I must say, it's absolutely wonderful not to be so frenetic in the office! I'm even taking a bit of time off, and so is Karon. We really both need a break, so perhaps we should be thanking short-sellers and hedge marketeers!!! Norfolk was good with Sheila not nearly as bad as I'd expected, although the prognosis remains the same. Still, as long as she's relatively comfortable and at home, it's not so bad as it could be. It was a joy to see her as always - she's a lovely person - and to see my cousin David who is over from Australia to take care of her. The other advantage was that I was able to begin the process of putting together a new tour for 2010 plus our 2009 reunion weekend which is scheduled for the end of November just after I get back from St Helena. Norfolk really is a fabulous county and I'm looking forward to getting to know it better. The most wonderful coincidence is that the lady who runs Pensthorpe Nature Reserve and Gardens is a friend of my above-mentioned cousin David. The "small world syndrome" strikes again! I still haven't worked out how to put in links and photos since Typepad updated their systems. A classic example of messing with something which worked to ensure that it doesn't do so any longer!! The advantage, of course, is that it's much quicker to write a blog when you don't have to faff around with added extras. On which note I shall love you and leave you and consider applying myself to the Scheduled Airline Failure Cover insurance renewal applicaton - they honestly want to know how much I'll be spending with which airlines over the next 12 months! I call it my "little work of fiction"!

Azores was great - now it's Norfolk

Sorry for the long silence.   I'd intended to write a blog while I was away in The Azores but, with one thing and another, it simply didn't get done.   We had a very happy group of people and everyone seemed to enjoy the holiday.   I love the Azores and always look forward to going back.   The islands have changed quite a lot since I first went about 14 years ago but they are still relaxed and relaxing.  We visited 4 of the starting in the main island, Sao Miguel before moving on to Pico (with a day in Terceira en route) and finishing in Faial.   Next year we're going to stay on Terceira and include the most westerly islands of Flores and Corvo in the itinerary for the first time.

I got home on Monday afternoon and am now heading south again, this time on a train to Peterborough.  That's because my lovely Auntie Sheila (she always hates the"auntie" bit!) is ill with cancer.  She lives in Kings Lynn and was ever so pleased when I said I'd nip down to say hello.  It's somewhat sad, but that's life I suppose.

While I'm there I'll take advantage and do a bit of research for our new Norfolk trip to come in next year's brochure.  

Meanwhile I'd better get on with other stuff.  Talk again soon!